In Arizona, there is no doubt that immigrant entrepreneurs and innovators play an important role. Immigrant entrepreneurs bring in additional revenue, create jobs, and contribute significantly to the state’s economy. Highly skilled immigrants are vital to the state’s innovation industries, and to the metropolitan areas within the state, helping to boost local economies. Furthermore, local government, business, and non-profit leaders recognize the importance of immigrants in their communities and support immigration through local “welcoming” and integration initiatives.

In North Dakota, there is no doubt that immigrant entrepreneurs and innovators play an important role. Immigrant entrepreneurs bring in additional revenue, create jobs, and contribute significantly to the state’s economy. Highly skilled immigrants are vital to the state’s innovation industries, and to the metropolitan areas within the state, helping to boost local economies. Furthermore, local government, business, and non-profit leaders recognize the importance of immigrants in their communities and support immigration through local “welcoming” and integration initiatives.

Immigrant entrepreneurs contribute to North Dakota’s economy.

From 2006 to 2010, there were 381 new immigrant business owners in North Dakota, and in 2010, 1 percent of all business owners in North Dakota were foreign-born.

In 2010, new immigrant business owners had a total net business income of $20.6 million, which is 1 percent of all net business income in the state.

North Dakota is home to successful companies with at least one founder who was an immigrant or child of an immigrant, including Hebron Brick Company. Founded by German immigrant Charles C. Weigel, the company employs over 50 people and brings in $2.5 million in revenue each year.

Highly skilled immigrants are vital to North Dakota’s innovation industries, which in turn helps lead American innovation and creates jobs.Read more...

In Kansas, there is no doubt that immigrant entrepreneurs and innovators play an important role. Immigrant entrepreneurs bring in additional revenue, create jobs, and contribute significantly to the state’s economy. Highly skilled immigrants are vital to the state’s innovation industries and to the metropolitan areas within the state, helping to boost local economies. Furthermore, local government, business, and non-profit leaders recognize the importance of immigrants in their communities and support immigration through local “welcoming” and integration initiatives.

Immigrant entrepreneurs contribute to Kansas’ economy.

From 2006 to 2010, there were 7,378 new immigrant business owners in Kansas and in 2010, 5.7 percent of all business owners in Kansas were foreign-born.

In 2010, new immigrant business owners had a total net business income of $351 million, which is 5 percent of all net business income in the state.

Kansas is home to successful companies with at least one founder who was an immigrant. In 1989, Kansan Gary Burrell and Taiwan native Min Kao founded Garmin, with headquarters in Olathe, Kansas. Garmin develops consumer, aviation, and marine products with GPS (Global Positioning System) technology. The company currently employs over 9,200 people and generates over $2.7 billion in total revenue.

Highly skilled immigrants are vital to Kansas’ innovation industries, which in turn helps lead American innovation and creates jobs.Read more...

In West Virginia, there is no doubt that immigrant entrepreneurs and innovators play an important role. Immigrant entrepreneurs bring in additional revenue, create jobs, and contribute significantly to the state’s economy. Highly skilled immigrants are vital to the state’s innovation industries, and to the metropolitan areas within the state, helping to boost local economies. Furthermore, local government, business, and non-profit leaders recognize the importance of immigrants in their communities and support immigration through local “welcoming” and integration initiatives.

Immigrant entrepreneurs contribute to West Virginia’s economy.

From 2006 to 2010, there were 1,486 new immigrant business owners in West Virginia, and in 2010, 2.7 percent of all business owners in West Virginia were foreign-born.

In 2010, new immigrant business owners had a total net business income of $139 million, which is 5.1 percent of all net business income in the state.

Highly skilled immigrants are vital to West Virginia’s innovation industries, which in turn helps lead American innovation and creates jobs.Read more...

In Rhode Island, there is no doubt that immigrant entrepreneurs and innovators play an important role. Immigrant entrepreneurs bring in additional revenue, create jobs, and contribute significantly to the state’s economy. Highly skilled immigrants are vital to the state’s innovation industries, and to the metropolitan areas within the state, helping to boost local economies. Furthermore, local government, business, and non-profit leaders recognize the importance of immigrants in their communities and support immigration through local “welcoming” and integration initiatives.

As Congress continues to debate immigration reform, August 15th marks the one-year anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. While not granting a path to legalization and citizenship, DACA provides an opportunity for a segment of the undocumented immigrant population to remain in the country without fear of deportation, allows them to apply for work permits, and increases their opportunities for economic and social incorporation. This research summary presents preliminary findings on the impact that DACA has had on some of the young people who have received it.

We find that the DACA recipients we surveyed experienced a pronounced increase in economic opportunities, such as getting a new job, opening their first bank account, and obtaining their first credit card. Many seek further social integration beyond DACA. In fact, almost all DACA recipients indicate that they would apply for U.S. citizenship if given the opportunity. Our study also shows that DACA recipients are often fearful that family members and friends could be deported at any time. Overall, our research indicates that although DACA opens up some economic opportunities for young aspiring Americans, it does not address the constant threat of deportation still facing those closest to them, including mothers, fathers, and siblings.Read more...

In Wyoming, there is no doubt that immigrant entrepreneurs and innovators play an important role. Immigrant entrepreneurs bring in additional revenue, create jobs, and contribute to the state’s economy. Additionally, highly skilled immigrants are vital to the state’s innovation industries, and to towns and cities within the state, helping to boost local economies.

Immigrant entrepreneurs contribute to Wyoming’s economy.

From 2006 to 2010, there were 809 new immigrant business owners in Wyoming, and in 2010, 2.6 percent of all business owners in Wyoming were foreign-born.

In 2010, new immigrant business owners had a total net business income of $60 million, which is 3.3 percent of all net business income in the state.

Wyoming is home to successful companies with at least one founder who was an immigrant or child of an immigrant, including well-known companies such as the Nebraska-based Kiewit Corporation. The Kiewit Corporation has two large mining subsidiaries based in Wyoming, Black Butte and Buckskin Mining Companies, who employ more than 2,000 people.

Highly skilled immigrants are vital to Wyoming’s innovation industries, which in turn helps lead American innovation and creates jobs.Read more...

The Criminal Alien Program (CAP) is an expansive immigration enforcement program that leads to the initiation of removal proceedings in many cases. While CAP has existed in one form or another for decades, there is still much to be learned about the program, how it is organized, and how it works. What is known is that CAP extends to every area of the country and intersects with most state and local law enforcement agencies.

For years, the CAP program has operated with little public attention and many of its elements have only recently come to light following FOIA litigation against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The information obtained through the lawsuit regarding CAP’s current organization and staffing suggests CAP is not a single program, but a loose-knit group of several different programs operating within ICE. Other than a small number of staff responsible for the administration of CAP at ICE headquarters, there is no dedicated CAP staff. Rather, ICE pulls personnel and resources from across the agency to perform CAP-related functions.

The ICE declarations and deposition also explain how CAP functions within prisons and jails. There appears to be little consistency in, and little or no policy governing, how CAP cooperates with state and local law enforcement agencies in different regions and in how CAP interacts with detainees in different facilities. Instead, CAP appears to function as an ad hoc set of activities that operate differently across the country and across penal institutions, raising questions about the adequacy of oversight, training, and accountability of the personnel implementing CAP.

This information confirms that there is still much about CAP that remains unknown or unclear. Given the breadth of CAP, the centrality of its role in immigration enforcement, and its large impact on the immigrant community, it is critical that ICE clarify how CAP operates.Read more...

In Utah, there is no doubt that immigrant entrepreneurs and innovators play an important role. Immigrant entrepreneurs bring in additional revenue, create jobs, and contribute significantly to the state’s economy. Highly skilled immigrants are vital to the state’s innovation industries and to the metropolitan areas within the state, helping to boost local economies. Furthermore, local government, business, and non-profit leaders recognize the importance of immigrants in their communities and support immigration through local “welcoming” and integration initiatives.

Immigrant entrepreneurs contribute significantly to Utah’s economy.

From 2006 to 2010, there were 9,229 new immigrant business owners in Utah and in 2010, 8.5 percent of all business owners in Utah were foreign-born.

In 2010, new immigrant business owners had a total net business income of $388 million, which is 6.1 percent of all net business income in the state.

Utah is home to many successful companies with at least one founder who was an immigrant or child of an immigrant. For example, the child of German immigrants founded Smith’s Food and Drug Centers, which is headquartered in Salt Lake City.

Highly skilled immigrants are vital to Utah’s innovation industries, which in turn helps lead American innovation and creates jobs.Read more...

In Kentucky, there is no doubt that immigrant entrepreneurs and innovators play an important role. Immigrant entrepreneurs bring in additional revenue, create jobs, and contribute significantly to the state’s economy. Highly skilled immigrants are vital to the state’s innovation industries and to the metropolitan areas within the state, helping to boost local economies. Furthermore, local government, business, and non-profit leaders recognize the importance of immigrants in their communities and support immigration through local “welcoming” and integration initiatives.

From 2006 to 2010, there were 6,143 new immigrant business owners in Kentucky and in 2010, 3.8 percent of all business owners in Kentucky were foreign-born.

In 2010, new immigrant business owners had a total net business income of $451 million, which is 5.4 percent of all net business income in the state.

Kentucky is home to many successful companies with at least one founder or co-founder who was an immigrant or child of an immigrant, including General Cable, Lexmark International, and Hillerich and Bradsby, the manufacturer of the “Louisville Slugger” baseball bat. Those three companies together employ over 25,000 people and bring in around $11 billion in revenue each year.

Highly skilled immigrants are vital to Kentucky’s innovation industries, which in turn helps lead American innovation and creates jobs.Read more...